


The Day it all Went Down

by AwatereJones



Series: EMP [1]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Action, Alt Verse, Apocalypse, Drama, F/M, M/M, Romance?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-15 15:26:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 15,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17531330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Ianto doesnt have a middle name but what if he did. What if that middle name defined him? We are about to find out in another of my apocolyptic verses. This verse is post Cyberwoman, here like Pete's Verse they decided to use the tech. Tut tut! Ianto does not trust it, Jack is antsy about it and we all know it will go to hell becuase I can't help myself. Come on ... let's go.





	1. Chapter 1

Just another fucked up day in the life of Ianto Icarus Jones. It started as it usually does, the phone going off and his rolling to grab it as Annie chimes in to call him to the phone's attention. Yes. The phone's attention. Not call the phone to his … nope. Since Technology had advanced so far, so quickly it seemed the mankind was on the back step, taking orders from their bloody Personal Alert Systems.

PAS were introduced about …well …four years ago? They had been around longer for the rich and elite but in the past few years they were now a commonplace thing that all citizens were expected to have and display by having the small lapel pin in the insignia of Weyland Industries so security can scan automatically.

Technology had been boosted, some whispered of alien intervention and such … Ianto knew for one that it was true. Since the Galactic Treaty had been signed, things had changed drastically. Now everyone had a 'better' life with their own PAS telling them when to eat, when to go to their next meeting … everything but when to take a piss ya might say … except they did that too. Technology ruled and Ianto didn't like it one single bit.

"Thank you Annie" he called out to shut up the apartment chimes, the system going silent as the phone now connected to the ceiling speakers instead.

"Ianto?"

"No. Ianto is not here right now, if you care to leave your blah blah he might give a toss later" Ianto snarked as he struggled to get his pants on and the screen in the wall flickered to life not a moment too soon, Tosh grinning at his half naked self.

"You ready for some action big boy?" she giggled.

Ianto poked his tongue at the screen then said "That's harassment in the workplace, that is!"

" _Workplace Harassment Code 445.32B states …."_

"It's OK Annie" Ianto cut off the PAS "I am not technically being harassed as I am finding it amusing."

" _You do not wish to file a…"_

"Thank you Annie. It is not necessary" Ianto said as calmly as he could, her ability to detect his annoyance something he hated.

Ianto was soon moving down the corridor for the lift, waiting for his PAS pin on his lapel to inform the lift controller what was the best thing to do, so much of his life at the mercy of technology. He hated it, loathed the laziness of it. He exited the metal box and walked past the rows of sleek machines, different logos to show their passenger's designation within the collective. Down past the rows in a secluded spot sat his vehicle.

A classic.

Ianto went to get into the driver's seat and sighed as he saw the wheels had been slashed once again.

"Goddamn it all to hell" he hissed, his hand sliding to the back of his neck as he turned and stormed over to the security check. The men showed their annoyance as he banged in the screen, then he stepped back so the scanner could check his PAS pin and the change was instant.

They were soon uncovering a flash top of the line vehicle from their private pool to replace Ianto's while they waited for the repair truck. Ianto waited until they handed him the key ring and he opened the vehicle, knelt down by the door well and as they gaped at him with horror he proceeded to tear out the onboard computer. His PAS Pin chimed like it was scolding but he ignored it until he had the main control box which he handed to the stupefied security team.

"I like to drive myself" he said by way of explanation, not adding that he did not like the fact the onboard computer could override his route and take him …. Anywhere.

He did not trust technology, something Tosh regularly hazed him about even as Jack seemed to agree. For some reason Jack was antsy about the whole thing and Ianto pondered this on a regular basis as Jack seemed to know more than he let on.

Ianto knew Jack lied. He always lied.

Like a bloody Timelord that one.

As Ianto swung the wheel and the vehicle crawled up onto the road to begin the trudge to the landing site of the latest piece of tat he also pondered the upcoming upgrade that was rolling out nationwide, touted to make life even easier for the poor stupid masses.

He remembered watching the old movies where people called homesteaders lived off the land and lived in log cabins and shit. He liked that idea. No electricity, no wifi. No computers. No big brother bullshit.

Why can't life be that easy again?


	2. hi there

Ianto parked and walked towards the team already there, Owen stomping about screaming like a retarded baboon … no offence to baboons mind … waving his arms around as his PAS kept chiming to tell him that he was gaining infringement after infringement for the language that was deemed inappropriate. Of course Jack would quash the fines, so Owen was enjoying the moment. At the top of some sort of crater, he seemed to almost be dancing as Ianto peered over the lip to find Jack inside.

"Sir!"

Jack swung to watch Ianto approach, looking at the lovely lithe body in those impeccable suits that made his blood stir in such a way, "Not like you to be late!"

"Tyres slashed again" Ianto grunted without fanfare knowing Jack was not one for pleasantries. Always on edge like he was about to race off after a starter's pistol or something.

"Well, you will keep that troglodyte of a vehicle" Jack smiled softly "It confuses and alarms people seeing something that is not on the grid."

"The grid" Ianto sighed softly rolling his eyes and the PAS ping from the lapel of a passing UNIT soldier had him glaring after the prick who's PAS had just pinged him for the eye roll.

Jack swung back as Owen screamed, his arms cart wheeling now as he slid in the mud, moving down a steep gradient on his arse to land as Ianto's' feet.

"Good morning Doctor Harper" Ianto said calmly "Nice jacket."

"Ta" Owen popped up like he had meant to do that, flicking the jacket happily "It's a classic."

"Yes. Iconic. Very James dean"

Owen stared at him.

"Harrison Ford?"

Owen smiled, looking at Jack, "See? He always says the good stuff."

"HEY!" Gwen called from the top of the gradient "You gonna get that?"

"Nah!" Jack replied "Just a toaster. Got enough of those. Whoever is chucking them into a void their end had a weird sense of humour. I wish they would toss something else."

"Like … a kettle?" Ianto asked with a raised eyebrow and Jack roared with mirth.

"Owen's right" he whispered "You do say all the good stuff."

"Sir" Ianto purred in a low tone that he knew would make the man's balls itch then he stalked off, watching out the corner of his eye as Jack's grin slid away. A little hip action didn't hurt things.

Ianto got home later that day to find his tyres replaced and he once again spent a good hour detailing his car as he always did after the shop had fixed it, removing any and all AI he could find, muttering with anger as he found several upgrades that were wifi.

Finally glad the car was stripped back to its original sans tech self, he staggered upstairs to find his PAS chiming to tell him he had a visitor. Ianto sighed as he let the door open and he walked in to find Rhiannon and the two children camped out in his living room watching the vid-screen.

"Hi" he said, startling them and Rhiannon squeaked as she spun to look at him, her face covered with fresh bruising that had his face hardening. "Where is he?"

"Locked up by Security" she assured him, "But he trashed the apartment and … I don't want to have to deal with it all just yet. The kids saw."

Ianto nodded and looked at the hopeful faces then sighed, "Annie, can you order up some Chinese and pizza please?"

" _Yes Ianto"_

"YAY" the kids enthused, watching him stalk to the kitchen where his expensive cans of fizzy were soon being handed out.

"Find something to watch without so many singing bits for the love of the gods!" Ianto fake growled as they giggled, flicking through channels.

The food arrived via drone and they settled to eat as Ianto made up beds on the two sofas for the kids and motioned Rhiannon to the bedroom "you take my bed. I will watch over the children."

"Where will you sleep?" she asked with concern, not liking the thought of taking his bed.

"I won't" Ianto replied "and as we are alone you do not have to lie. He's loose still, right?"

She nodded morosely and he pulled her into his arms soothing her as she let herself cry without the children seeing. He then went to his dressing room and came back with a large dressing gown and some soft PJs.

"Here, have a hot shower and wash it all away. I will be watching over you and the kids tonight. If he comes near the place Annie will alert and if I have to … I will put him down!"

"Listen to you!" she snorted "Mister Man! Gods, you used to cry when Da yelled!"

"I am not that little boy Rhia" Ianto warned gently "Just know that he will not get past me. OK?"

She nodded doubtfully but accepted his stance.

He had never lied.


	3. hidden treasure

Next morning and Ianto kissed her goodbye, then knelt and kissed the children as well who were loving the prospect of not having to go to school. He reached the Hub to find Jack waiting.

"Good morning Sir"

"I got a late ping telling me you have visitors for the night and a Protection Order in force" Jack said immediately "What's the go?"

"My sister's husband slapped her about in front of their children. They are at mine while he is still on the loose." Ianto explained, letting Jack lead him down to the main Hub. "Good morning Frannie"

 _"Good morning Ianto"_ their AI purred happily and Ianto glanced over at Tosh who seemed waiting.

"Jack? Can I go off-line for a few hours today?" she called out "I wanna run an algorithm that the Controller would not allow."

"Make sure you buffer better this time" Jack replied "It was so pissy having to explain that we can disconnect from the main net. They don't like that."

"Yah. But we ARE Torchwood" she replied cheekily and he laughed then reached Gwen's desk.

"Watcha got?"

"A ping from one of the scrap yards, apparently something has been bought in that doesn't match the database" she said, then her eyes slid to Ianto "Old Man Smiler."

"Ahhhhhh shit" Owen said acidly as he wandered past "Bags not go!"

"what?" Jack blinked.

"Same!" Gwen replied "I have…ah…paperwork. Besides, he likes Ianto!"

Ianto sighed "Yeah. He does actually."

"Old Man Smiler" Jack said as they clambered into the SUV, then Jack watched Ianto reaching out to turn off the AI before firing it up as he was driving today "Still doing that?"

"Want them to know where we are going?" Ianto asked as he reached out the open door and dumped the AI box in the empty car park next door.

"You are a bad boy Ianto Icarus Jones" Jack smiled softly as he settled back in his seat "Pushing the limits."

"Flying by the seat of my pants!" Ianto agreed cheekily as Jack laughed and he shot out into traffic as Jack muttered something about nice pants.

They reached the junk yard and walked in, the old man already snarling at a Blowfish that bristled as he saw Jack's Great Coat "The Hero and the Office boy!"

"Fuck you Sushi" Ianto said calmly, the Fish gaping as the PAS did not ping.

"Samuel" Jack said to the old man, ignoring the fish "Ianto and I hear you got some new stuff to excite us with."

"Some tat came in this morning that set off the alarms. I shoved it all over there" the old man motioned, then smiled at Ianto "Hello boy."

"Hello Mister Smilt" Ianto smiled back "That rusted out fire engine out back was a good find. The water tank looks intact."

The old man lit up "It still goes too!"

"NO!" Ianto gaped "Wow. They don't' make 'em like they used to."

"IANTO!" Jack called out, "Look. A hand drill!"

Ianto shot over and knelt in the dirt, looking at the old set of tools that seemed pristine. Family heirlooms no doubt from the time before technology did everything with bots at the breath of a command.

"Wow. Hammers, nails….good to honest…nails … hand drill, bits….chisels …screwdrivers….wow" Ianto said softly as he sifted through it.

"Had that thing forever, that box there is the new thing" the old man frowned as he pointed behind them. "Looks like a piece of shit to me."

"Eighty credits for this as well" Ianto said without looking up, both his Captain and the old man blinking at the generous offer.

"Ahhh, boy. You do take care of an old man. Tell you what … look over here. That nephew of yours would be big enough to see this" the old man reached into a box and removed a little robot that was beaten and sad looking.

"A mini K-9?" Jack asked with shock.

"Yeah, it's a K-9 unit. Before the new upgrades made them obsolete. Not much wrong with him, a good little fella but he is no longer compatible with the Net. Can't update." The old man nod.

"Perfect, less Net the better" Ianto said as he picked up the little dog robot "come on boy. I'll get you going, Tosh will love to help tinker on you!"

"And you for bringing him in" Jack smiled as he helped Ianto secure the little dog in the back of the SUV. "These were top of the line once."

"Yeah, modern tech ran everything else into the dirt pretty quickly" Ianto sighed "Shame. As much as they added something … they took other things away. We are losing so much of ourselves."

"I am not arguing with that Tiger" Jack said as he closed the back door and Ianto stared at him with surprise, the nickname one Jack had used with him once or twice, always when alone.

As they clambered into the SUV he wondered.

Had Jack seen one before they became extinct?

Like nearly everything else beautiful.


	4. Hello Max

"Hey, there you go!" Ianto crooned as he knelt back and the old K-9 powered up, his head rising as he came on-line and looked around with interest. He was an upgrade form the one we know from Sarah-Jane's fellow … this one almost dog-like with fur over the exoskeleton.

"Does he have a name?" Jack asked. "Was this model voice activated?"

"Do you have a name boy?" Ianto asked "Speak!"

"Max" the dog said happily "Hello, are you my master?"

"Yes" Ianto replied "I am the one who chose you as my friend. Hello Max."

"Hello Master!"

"Can you please call me Ianto?"

"Ianto?"

"Yes. My name is Ianto. I do not like the term Master. You are to be my friend, not my slave" Ianto explained and the dog seemed to consider then nod.

"OK Ianto."

"He's so cute" Tosh squealed, "It's so interesting to see him interacting with Mainframe even though he cannot interact with the Net."

"Can the Net get him through Mainframe?" Ianto said with a sudden horror.

"No. He's an obsolete piece of technology that Mainframe can patch into. Net can't do anything there" she assured him and she found that interesting, that dislike Ianto had for tech. Something he and Jack had in common.

"I am just calling home to check on them" Ianto said as he reached for his phone and she nodded, watching as he called his sister and his face changed as he listened to the children talking as well, excited that he had left them some games they hadn't noticed the night before.

"Want to go home early?" Jack asked as he and Owen lugged in the box of tools, knowing instinctively from Ianto's smile that he was talking to his family.

"Do you mind sir?" Ianto lit up "It's been a while since we've had time together. Work has been so busy lately."

"Go. Have fun. Owen … what are you doing?" Jack watched Owen puck out tool and frown at it.

"It's a hand drill" Ianto explained, taking it from Owen, "This is the drill bit and this handle swivels around like this, see?"

Ianto demonstrated, swinging the handle about as Owen watched, then took it to look at some more. Then Owen said "This is sort of like the old cranium drills to relieve pressure back in the day. Saw pics of these in the history blogs"

"Exactly" Ianto slapped him on the back. "Right, I'm off. Don't burn the place down."

"OK Dad" Owen snorted as he watched the dog and his face dropped to one of shock "Shit. That's alive!"

"I am a K-9 unit, I am Cyborg" the dog said calmly and Owen knelt, staring at him.

"Cyborg. Part … bio? Cyber?"

"No pulling him apart!" Ianto scolded, "I know that warped little brain. Your hamster is running so fast it will have a coronary in that skull of yours!"

Owen pulled a face as the others laughed and Gwen slapped at him as Ianto motioned for K-9 to go to him "Listen buddy. When I am not here, go find somewhere to power down unless Tosh wants to play. Do not trust him, he is a big child! A naughty one!"

"Maybe he needs a time out instead of me!" the dog was cheeky too.

Owen decided he liked him.

Ianto was more than slightly relieved about that.

He arrived home to find the children excited and bouncing off the walls so they walked out into the sunshine, down the street to the authorised playground for his building complex. As they watched the children screaming about Ianto looked to the sky "Gonna rain again tonight."

"Scheduled all week" Rhiannon agreed.

"Remember when it rained because it wanted to?" Ianto asked as they turned to see Mica splashing in the paddling pool "remember the smell of the rain on hot asphalt?"

"Yeah. And wet grass underfoot as you run on it in bare feet. So soft" she said as the pertly green fake grass seemed to bounce with the children's feet slamming across it.

"Things change, times change but some things never will" Ianto sighed "I still don't like the thunder."

"I wish they could control that, but it is necessary for those who feel it makes the rain more authentic. They did tone it down" she argued and Ianto shrugged.

"And they mute the real stuff happening above is … I know. Still, I think I might forgive the real thunder if we got real rain"

"Yeah, I know" she said then they herded the children home.

Ianto looked back as they left the park, feeling uneasy about the open space with Johnny out there somewhere but knew his security PAS clearance meant wherever the man was, it was not in this area or the alarms would be deafening.


	5. ping

Ianto was dozing in the chair, more asleep than awake when the ping of his AI woke him and he sat up with a start, rubbing his eyes.

"Annie?" Ianto opened them, aware now of the amber emergency lighting in place.

" _There is a disturbance, please remain where you are"_ she purred through the room and Ianto glanced over at the children who were asleep, then over at the bedroom door that was ajar as she had left it after kissing them all goodnight.

"Annie, is Johnny here?" he frowned, "How did he get in?"

" _There is a disturbance, please remain where you are"_

Ianto's frown deepened as he reached for his lapel and found it bare. He was in his PJS and old man robe that rivalled the one he had given Rhiannon. He sat forward, aware of pinging happening through the walls in other apartments around him. He rose and walked to the windows, looking out over the city where every window shared the same strange amber light as his.

Whatever was happening, it was in the entire block.

"Annie …. Are we safe?" he asked calmly, walking to the wall unit and bouncing it's side to release the spring lock, revealing the hidden gun safe and he soon had a working gun locked and loaded as he padded to the door. "Annie?"

" _There is a disturbance, please remain where you are"_

"Yes love, I understand. I am complying, just nervous and pacing for my nerves" he crooned, the lighting that had deepened going back to the soft lighting as she seemed to accept this. He stopped walking as this occurred to him. His AI was reasoning with him?

"Annie, connect me to the Hub please?"

" _Unable to comply. There is a disturbance, please remain where you are"_

OK. Not good. Ianto cleared his throat as he thought about this "Excuse me dear, this is making my tummy funny. You know me nerves go to my gut. Please continue to monitor the children while I partake of the bathroom"

Ianto scooped up the Bluetooth earwig on his way to the bathroom and closed the door of the only room on the house he had insisted his AI not be present in. He soon had the Hub line ringing in his ear.

"Ianto?"

"Are you OK?" Ianto asked at the same time as Jack.

"Ianto … something is happening" Jack seemed calm, even a bit patronising as Ianto rolled his eyes and listened "Can you discretely get here?"

"I have Rhiannon and the kids" Ianto sighed, "How? My AI has me contained. All of us seem contained. What is this? Jack?"

"Self Awareness"

"I sort of figured that" Ianto snorted "I mean … what has caused it?"

"The Net has become self-aware is is fighting back against those it deems subversive. Those it thinks of a protected ilk are … well … being contained as those not are….ah….." Jack struggled to the right word so Ianto provided it.

"Purged."

"Yeah"

"Can Tosh override my AI?" Ianto asked as he looked around for help "If we can get outside, I an use the Torchwood logo to override any security out there, Rhiannon and the kids stick close enough to be covered and with my vehicle not being patched in it should still run."

"You noticed that."

"Yes, all the cars are offline right?" Ianto snorted "I hate being right ya know."

"Ianto … do what you have to and get here. Once I have everyone here we can work out what our next step is, OK?" Jack asked and Ianto had another question in the back of his mind that needed answering.

"Is this localized?"

"No."

All that needed saying really.

Shit a cow sideways.

Ianto looked around the bathroom then rose, opening the mirror to look into the hidden cavity and he removed his stun gun and some scissors and a first aid kit. He then stepped into the hallway where he knew his AI could see him and he yawned, scratching at his belly as he wandered to the hallway linen cupboard, opening it to remove a pillow, then he went back to the bathroom, stripped off the pillowcase and began filing it with supplies.

He placed the makeshift bag by the bathroom door and stepped bach into the hallways with the pillow muttering that it was too soft, reaching into the cupboard, the scissors hidden in his hand under the pillow. He knew this was gonna hurt and he gritted his teeth as he shoved the scissors into the socket for the recharger, this connected to his AI. As she pinged with alarm he then pulled the stun gun from the band of his PJs and fired it into the scissors.

It was pretty epic really, the sparks, the screaming and his own cry of pain as the gun overloaded.

"IANTO!" Rhiannon screamed as she exited the bedroom with horror, their lighting flickering as the AI died.

"Get dressed!" Ianto barked, "Get the kids up, get them dressed and calm down. We have to go."

"Ianto? What's happening?" she asked as she watched him plunge his hand into the kids' fish bowl to ease the burn.

Ianto looked up at her with a steely glare.

"What I told you would happen one day."

Rhiannon paled as she stared at him, knowing full well than even as a small child he had hated tech, telling her one day it would turn on them like a slave on it's master.

It was time to go.


	6. welcome to Torchwood arsehole

The children were dressed and they watched with silent confusion as he held out his hands "Come on, a quick pee before beddy-byes!"

They looked at each other as they accepted a hand each and walked to the bathroom followed by Rhiannon. She then watched Ianto remove the children's pins, realising his intention and removing hers as well. Soon there were Davies pins sitting silently on the toilet lid.

Ianto held his fingers to his lips and the children nodded "Right then … goodnight. I'll just put the lights out!"

He then calmly walked to the wall panel next to the apartment door and swung his entire body, bouncing off it with a grunt of pain, then doing it again as the wall gave. He then booted at it until there was a hole. Thank the gods for cheap workmanship and shonky building material as he had hoped.

They raced along the hallway and towards the lift but Ianto changed course as he hissed "No. It's controlled, come on. Emergency stairs."

" _ATTENTION MISTER JONES YOU ARE ENTERING A RESTRICTED ZONE!"_

"Yes, I know Artie, sorry. I think I left my car windows down and you know mine is not linked. Rhiannon and the children are having a bath so I thought I would race down without causing too much upset and put them up" he said as he panted, carrying Mica now "My Annie seems to be glitching as she didn't warn the lift. I think it's all this lockdown. I may have overloaded her with questions. You know me."

He got to the door and slammed against it, entering the main vehicle bay were security were wandering around with open confusion. They saw him and called out "You know anything?"

"There seems to be something happening with the upgrade in progress" he said as he shoved Mica in the back seat and motioned for David to follow "I am just shooting around to the shop because if we are going to be on lock-down for the weekend I need things for the kids, my pantry is woefully under stocked."

They looked at him with open confusion now as Rhiannon threw the two backpacks full of gear after the kids, Ianto following suit and then he leaned in and whispered softly "Run. If you can … run."

The man stared at Ianto, then looked at the Torchwood Security Pass he was placing on the dashboard of the vehicle and paled, stepping back as he took on board the advice and turned to his men. "This is a lock-down. I suggest we all head home to our families and trust in our AI!"

They stared at him as he made motions with his fingers for running and then nodded, all of them taking off as Ianto watched then turned to Rhiannon, the doors closed and windows up, safe from the microphones everywhere "I hope they get out."

"Just get us out brother" Rhiannon said softly "Get us away from this. You have a plan?"

Ianto nodded as he swung up into the eerily silent streets, vehicles stopped where the engines had died. Ianto didn't glance out as those who were trying to wave him down as he knew full well there could be those who wanted this car as much as he did, some who would not think twice about doing whatever they needed to do to get their family out. Right now … his family were his concern.

"DA!"

Ianto swore as David pointed Johnny standing on a corner with a look of loss and he glanced at his sister, knowing her answer before he asked "Stop?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"Drop your jacket and pin where you stand!" Ianto yelled as he pulled over, leaning out "Fucking move your arse before you get us killed!"

Johnny gaped at him, then ran for the car leaping in as others started to run for them as well and Ianto took off, revelling in the large engine in the Mercedes and he reached the hidden entrance for the Hub and hit the horn, the doors swinging back as Owen and Jack motioned him inside, then pulling them closed behind him so they looked like plain building once more.

"Where the hell are we?" Johnny finally spoke, then yelped as the door flew open and he found himself being dragged out by his lapels as Jack swung him around and slammed him against a main support beam.

"How the fuck did you get in there!" Jack snarled, "You wife beater!"

"Jack, it's OK" Ianto said as he got out and watched his sister gape at the man now threatening her husband.

"No its not. You do not hit women. Ever. You hear me?" Jack was shaking the hapless man now "Ianto has vouched for you, only reason I did not put a bullet behind your ear!"

Everything had gone still as Ianto watched.

"If you put a single mother fucking foot wrong I will take you to a room where your children to do not have to see and I will gut you like a pig" Jack said calmly "Do we understand one another?"

"What…who….who are you!" Johnny whimpered.

"Captain Jack Harkness….welcome to Torchwood arsehole!"


	7. a gap

 

Ianto didn't have time for this, so he did what he did best. Focused on the problem at hand as he raced into the Hub "Tosh, tell me you were still offline!"

"Yes" she replied proudly "I had another half hour before I have to patch back in. Mainframe is safe"

"MAX!"

"Yes Ianto?" the dog asked as it came out from under the stairs and the kids squealed with glee as they ogled the antique.

"These children are your pups now. Tend them please!" Ianto waved a hand in their direction "And the big one with them is a possible threat."

"Hey!" Johnny spluttered then stalled out as Myfanwy swept down to look at the new people, swinging low overhead before disappearing again.

"That's my pterodactyl, don't' piss her off OK?" Ianto muttered as he started looking at screens.

"Tosh, isolate one of the computers out and log on, let's see what it is shall we? Make sure we buffer so Fanny is safe" Ianto demanded as he continued to work, his eyes scanning frequencies "Shit."

"What?" Jack asked as he finally broke eye contact with Johnny, Owen remaining near the man with a glare and a sidearm.

"Hospitals are sending out SOS signals. Power is being shut down, people are dying" Ianto slumped "It's happening. It's really happening."

"Judgement Day" Jack nodded "The day the AI world becomes self-aware and decided it doesn't like it's Creator."

"Radio waves are still safe, Gwen. Check and see if UNIT have snatched a band, remember how? I did show you" Ianto said then noticed the man standing by her chair with a doleful stare "You must be Rhys. Shit. I know you, I played rugby with you a few times. Right. Do you get what is happening?"

"Shit-storm"

"Well said. Right. This entire base is run by a Mainframe that at the moment is buffered against … this. Unfortunately sooner or later that will not be the case. Someone will hack in or UNIT will try to contact us, opening the phone lines … an idiot in other words will trample all over our tenuous safety. What I need is three packed to the gunnels SUVs ready to roll. Can you do that? Owen, stop trying to find a way to scare the lard ball, go with Rhys and remove all the AIs from the SUVs. You've berated me for doing it enough times to know how I do it, go."

"Your car?" Jack asked.

"Recognisable. The SUVs look like any SUVs. My car is immediately flagged as non-compliant. Right now we need to blend, not wave flags" Ianto replied calmly, "Sir. Weapons please? Some big boom booms?"

Jack motioned for his office and Ianto followed him. Instead of opening the safe Jack sat on the sofa and Ianto knew something else had to be said so he settled beside him to wait, then raised an eyebrow when it became obvious that Jack was struggling to say it out loud. "Sir? Another problem?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah … gotta….ah…. I have family out there in London."

Ianto sighed "She is either smart enough to have hunkered down and wait or she is gone. Did you have an evacuation plan? An agreed spot to meet if you ever had to bug out?"

"Yes. The playground I used to take her to as a child" Jack nodded, not surprised he knew.

"Right. We go past, we do not slow down, if she is there we snatch and grab. If she isn't … she is gone. Sorry … you and I both know the chances…"

"I have to try. She's my daughter. She has a child too … we need to go that way? You don't know what playground I am referring to" Jack smiled softly.

"We are going through London, heading to the Fens" Ianto whispered softly to him "Marshland, wetland. No tech. Remember?"

Jack stared at him and nodded slowly "Yeah. Thatched roofs, river boats. Livestock … farming and agriculture. It's like stepping back in time, just electricity and such, hard to keep modern tech going, it all shorts out with the damp …shit. Ianto, brilliant!"

"Shhhhhhh" Ianto hissed "She might hear you."

Fanny. They shared a moment of silence as Jack considered and then reached out, hooking Ianto's hand in a silent squeeze before he cleared his throat as if just deciding something. Jack nodded and rose as he said loudly "Right. We need to prepare if we are going to Scotland then"

"Yes sir" Ianto smiled as the lie came so easily, sounded so real. Ianto knew the little fishing ports and marshy estates would be more than capable of accommodating them in the Fens. They might even stand a chance of surviving the next wave.

He wasn't a fool.

He knew an invasion when he saw one, and he also knew that Jack was well aware of what was happening as well. Damn it all, when was that man going to trust them enough to tell them the truth?


	8. Wanna see an alien?

Johnny say silently, watching the people move about then as Ianto went to pass by he blurted "This is Torchwood. Like … the alien hunter place. You their bloody butler?"

Ianto turned on his heel to answer but Owen was quicker "He's one of our fucking Agents! Has saved your arse a few times already as well as this entire planet that had managed to fuck itself over anyway!"

"Language please" Ianto said calmly "Little ears."

"Yeah, well they will hear and see worse" Owen reminded him "They are gonna grow up real fast now. Let's stop trying to pussyfoot about Yan. That prick should have been put down the first time he hit her. Right now he is useful but the minute he endangers us … I will do it myself."

"Fair enough" Ianto shrugged, "I don't have time for this."

As Ianto wandered off with a clipboard Johnny gaped and swung to his wife who was trying to comfort the children "Did you hear the way he spoke to me?"

"He's right. Either you are here to keep our babies safe or you are excess" she replied without looking at him. "Any love I had for you died the other night when you raised your hand to hit Mimi."

Ianto froze, swinging to stare as he listened to the real reason his sister finally gave in and reported her husband's abuse. She had married their Da. He swallowed back the anger bubbling and then looked up at the ceiling.

"Sir!" he called out "I gotta release Myf. She will be fine, will make her way but needs freedom to rampage."

Jack walked to the walkway barrier and looked down at Ianto "Problem?"

"No. Just warning you I will have to climb there to crank the hatch myself. I can't ask mainframe, she is a bit busy" Ianto looked over at Tosh who nodded with an apologetic grimace.

"I'll spot you then!" Jack bounded down the stairs and grinned at Ianto "Only if you go first so I can enjoy the view"

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded without any venom, his face reddening as he started to clamber up the ladder to the aviary, Jack following a few rungs back to indeed, enjoy the view. As they climbed David slid from the chair and walked over to look up.

"Is he going all the way up?" he asked.

"At the top is a handle that needs to be cranked, it will open a large skylight for the dinosaur" Tosh explained as she watched her screens "It's OK. He's done it before."

"Oh. So. What does he do here?"

"Ianto is one of us. Alien hunters. We work for Her Majesty, a secret service that hunts down aliens and keeps the earth safe from invasion and such." Owen answered " We are Torchwood 3. Torchwood 1 was London, they were the ones in charge and we were like … an outpost. When Torchwood Towers fell we were left alone. Torchwood 2 is lost and Torchwood 4 is in Scotland."

"Lost?"

"Yeah" Tosh shrugged "It disappeared one day. Poof. We look for it occasionally but it's like the lost city of Atlantis. There but …not."

David stared at her then grinned "Cool."

"Aliens?" Mica asked.

"Wanna see some?" Owen asked "I have to do a release myself and need to do a check list. Some of those in the cells can get safe. Janet though … I don't know what to do with her."

He and Tosh shared a frown then she said softly "Ask Ianto later."

He nodded, then motioned the children and thief parents towards the stairs, taking them down to stare incredulously at the things on display behind glass.

"That's a blowfish, that's a weevil, that's a Horix, That's a ….er….we are not really sure….this is another weevil called Janet. Hey Janet" Owen stopped and watched her walk towards them, her head swinging back and forth as she scented the air, looking at the children. Then she moaned softly, pointing. "Yes. Kids. I know. These are children. Look at that. Little people."

She seemed enamoured, taping the glass as she leaned as close as she could and Mica giggled, showing her uncle's moxie as she reached out to touch the glass, her hand meeting mere inches from Janet's. Janet made a noise of delight.

"Look at that" Owen said with interest "usually only a ripe pumpkin gets that noise."

Mica giggled and her smile lit up the holding bay, Janet purring as she stroked the glass.

"She was a mama but her baby died. How I found her. Burying it in a storm, sad and alone. The other weevils don't like her. I think she is sad, it shows to them that she lost a child, failed or something in their eyes." Owen found himself explaining to the woman who looked a lot like Ianto around the eyes "She seems happy here. Few times I left the cell open so she could leave and she would close it again. She doesn't want to go. I don't know."

"What about that trailer?" Rhys asked form behind them, having followed them to get a closer look at the man Ianto hated so much "That closed trailer up in the parking bay. Cant it be attached to one of the SUVs? You could bring her with if it has a cage door like some do."

Owen pointed at him "knew I would like you! Ianto said so!"


	9. pins and needles to the soul

For anyone confused … Ianto didn't like Johnny who was with his wife and kids looking at the aliens … not Owen.

.

.

9

Owen was following Ianto as he moved about the Hub gathering things he knew they might need and in the end he simply stopped moving and stared at Owen with a raised eyebrow.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

Ianto looked down at his hand that he had been opening and closing repeatedly, raising it for Owen to see "I had to short out the AI to sneak out. I got a good boot."

"Shit" Owen grabbed his wrist, "Do you have any feeling?"

"A little. Pins and needles mostly" Ianto admitted "don't' tell Rhia. If she knew I was hurt … my main concern is the dead weight."

"Yeah. He is a twat and a half" Owen agreed, "You had no choice though. The kids had seen him first, right?"

"Unfortunately and at the end of the day, no matter what a piece of shit he is … he's their Da."

"Mine was a piece of shit, I turned out OK" Owen said as he wiped his nose on his sleeve and Ianto stared at him then started to giggle.

"Ditto"

They giggled some more then Ianto sighed "Janet."

"You said I would like Rhys!" Owen smiled "He pointed out that old closed refridgerator trailer unit that can go behind one of the SUVs. We can take her with. I can't release her, she's too domesticated now."

"Well … we are going where there will likely be pumpkins and such, we can make it work" Ianto nodded "Rhys is a good man. Get him onside early in the piece, you will have some brawn as well as brains to help you there. I suggest you move her now, then when we are ready to go she is not hyped up with the excitement in the air."

"Yeh … you gonna release the others?" Owen asked.

"When we are ready to go in case they attack one another or something. I don't want to be there for stupidity. We will open the doors so they can get to the sewers and make their own way."

"That hand is hurting" Owen had been paying attention "Try to keep it clean and dry. I am worried about nerve damage there."

"Yeah, I know. When we have some time we might look at some triage, right now all we can do is move. This upgrade is still in progress and once completed there will be a massive reboot" Ianto said as he started pulling things into crates again.

"Reboot?"

"Yeah" Ianto turned to face him again "As in … BOOM"

.

.

.

.

Tosh was watching and her face changed as she yelled across the Hub "The cycling is finishing, I think the upgrade is over and the first shutdown is about to happen. I can move things to my secondary back-ups and totally disconnect now!"

"This is our window" Jack clapped his hands, "Grab the kids, we have our SUVs assigned, we have our order of deportation. Me and Ianto in the lead vehicle, Gwen and Rhys in the middle one with Rhiannon and the kids, Tosh and Owen in the last one with all that tech we want to stay dormant. Also the trailer."

"Why just you and Ianto?" Gwen asked, still annoyed that she was not shotgun and Ianto turned to her with a bland expression.

"We may or may not meet someone we are scooping on the way, a personal addition. OK?" he asked "We need the room and as we will be the ones who know where we are going … we are first vehicle."

"And we are going through London but can't stop to get my parents?" she demanded.

"Your parents live in the Sunset Community, totally automated. There is no way we can get near the place, let alone them. We have to have faith that the money they had spent to be there will protect them." Ianto said softly "I am sorry Gwen. My Da is in the same facility with his second wife. I know the money he spent, the money they spent. They will be protected."

"Your … father?" she blinked.

"He is dead to me, has been since he drove my mother to suicide. After he met the woman he is now married to in rehab .. she was his therapist … he stopped trying to contact me. My sister out there tried for a while, I think they do the old Christmas card thing or something. I don't. I know she has been trying to get in contact since this started, sneaking the phone around in her pocket." Ianto stopped talking and rubbed his face with his good hand "We have to consider them safe and lock that part away. Focus on what is not safe right now. Us."

Gwen nodded, glancing over at Rhiannon who had sheepishly produced the phone from her pocket.

"So. We do not have time to stand here debating this anyway" Ianto said as he waved a hand at his sister to put the phone away "We need to move!"

Time was ticking and he felt it trickling away like water between his fingers.

Like pins and needles to the soul.


	10. Faraday?

Ianto walked to the back vehicle and leaned in the window "Right. Tosh, I don't want you up front with Owen, I want you in the back of the cabin with those shade shades pulled down."

"Why?" she asked, "something bad to see out there? I have seen bodies before Ianto."

"They are lead lined" Ianto replied softly, his hand reaching in to touch her arm, "This entire vehicle is lead dipped."

"A Faraday cage?" Tosh asked with surprise, "Are you telling me the interior of this thing is entirely lead and with the lead lined curtains pulled down an EMP would not touch my tech?"

"Yes" Ianto nodded "I have some small homemade EMPs in case we get into trouble. If you are already protected I will not worry about releasing a bomb. I can't signal you back here to let you know I am doing it, I just have to do what I can to get us through."

He walked to the next vehicle and asked for the kids to remain in the back with their parents, hissing at Gwen about bodies and dissidents being scary and she clambered through the seats to pull the curtains without further comment as Rhys looked at him long and hard, "You alright there?"

"Yes Rhys" Ianto patted the arm resting in the open window "will be better when we get through London and into the open landscape again."

"I hear ya" Rhys nodded and Ianto walked to the lead vehicle, well aware Jack was following him closely.

As Ianto climbed into the passenger seat and Jack into the driver's seat he said softly "We will have a couple of hours to talk. Let's move, that upgrade will be cycling down to reboot while we sit here. Within half an hour drones will be up once more and soon aware vehicles are moving without pings."

"Yeah" Jack punched it and they shot up into the bright sunlight of the afternoon, Ianto clutching at the suicide strap as he held a glock near his hip. Jack noticed but did not comment, glad he had a wingman that knew when to be on guard, no matter how sedate things seemed.

"You knew this was coming" Ianto said after he had settled back half an hour later.

Jack glanced at him "What?"

"You never once questioned the acquisitions for large amounts of lead based products. After Lisa you should have been on guard and when I asked for the chassis of these new models to be lead dipped you signed it without blinking." Ianto accused.

"Well … maybe I had an inclining. I mean … what is your reasoning?"

"After the Cyber attack … I know that's what is behind all of these, like that bloody Terminator movie, they got hold of some tech and created this mess" Ianto sighed.

"That was a long time ago Ianto, not many even remember that." Jack answered "Too many were happy to accept a terrorist attack and move on."

"You want to know the funny thing?" Ianto asked as he held up a small ball of wires that blinked in the middle with a red light.

"What?"

"Lisa told me how to make these while she was in that cyber-unit" Ianto huffed, "This little ball of pain just needs a twist and throw … enough EMP to knock out anything electrical for up to a kilometre in radius."

Jack tried not to gape.

"She was reasoning it through. Thought once she was fixed, we would have to escape you. Of course .. .she already knew you had your claws into me as she put it. Was so jealous of the way you would make me smile when you called me over coms." Ianto stopped speaking and stared out the window for a while and Jack tried to be reasonable about it. Lisa was something that might always hover in the background … as much as Jack's secrets Ianto seemed to know more about than he let on. Well. He is the Archivist after all.

"Sir?"

Jack realised he had zoned out as he glanced at the clock and saw he had passed an hour in silence. He made a noise of interest to let Ianto know he was aware of him.

"Roadblock" Ianto was reaching down into the wheel well of the vehicle to hook up an EMP ball as he also slid that glock into the space between door and hip. Half an hour to London and that playground Alice and Stephen were hopefully hiding in.

"Let me handle it" Jack said calmly as he slowed down, this roadblock on the outskirts of London not a surprise, the UNIT insignias not either but the Bots walking about were. These were in broad daylight, not even hidden beneath loose clothing. Shiny Bots in a parody of Cybermen stomped back and forth with clipboards and Ianto made a noise in the back of his throat to show his alarm.

Then one raised its arm and the weapon discharged as Ianto jumped in his seat.


	11. all or nothing

The vehicle took the pulse with a soft shudder and Ianto slid forward in his seat, his own weapon in his hand just as dangerous, the little ball of wires blinking steadily.

"Ianto!" Jack warned as a soldier appeared at Jack's window and motioned to him.

"Sorry about that!" the man was shouting, "It's still glitching. Damn it all!"

Ianto was about to warn Jack that the man's PAS had not chimed at the curse when several things happened at once. Jack started to lower the window to speak to the soldier, the Bot stepped in behind the soldier and as Ianto reached across to grab Jack the thing fired into the interior of the vehicle.

Jack died a messy death, the weapon not set to pulse but projectile, Ianto reacting by punching the gear stick into Drive, slamming his foot down on Jack's foot and swinging the wheel so the SUV lurched forward and through the barrier.

He threw the little ball of doom out Jack's open window and hoped for the best.

He didn't look back, hoping the others would follow blindly and it wasn't until Jack surged back to life with a bark of alarm that Ianto released his foot to let the vehicle coast to the side of the road. It had taken the space of about ten minutes, the death had been a total destruction and Ianto took a few moments to stroke Jack's shocked face before reaching behind him to wipe the muck off the headrest. Ianto then shot out of the SUV to look back, relieved to see both other SUVs behind them and nothing else.

"It's OK!" Rhys roared as he brought his SUV to a shuddering halt, "Whatever that was you threw at them caused a mess like I've never seen. That Bot thing, along with three more just sort of … blew apart! Sparks, wires flying about and men screaming, running, a few on the floor with injuries from debris. It was unbelievable."

"It was fucking epic!" Owen crowed as he ran up to join them, "Nothing is following from road or sky. You knocked out everything."

"Then we have to move swiftly" Ianto swung back towards his SUV, "They know we have something to fight them, they will come after us. We need to be gone."

"Agreed" Jack said as he stood by the SUV, hidden from the children's one, pulling a fresh t-shirt on, blood still on his neck "Half an hour to the meet. Let's get it done and be on the open road before nightfall. We don't want our headlights attracting any drones, we need to be out in the badlands."

"Here! Food!" Gwen shoved some bags at Ianto, "And water. We need to keep moving, we can't stop for a bloody picnic."

"Agreed" Ianto nodded "Thank you Gwen, make sure the kids are OK and we will move out. I want us to punch it, full throttle. As much space between us and that roadblock as possible."

Jack grimaced at the headache he was struggling with as he glanced at Ianto who nodded and stormed around to the driver's door "I'll drive, you watch for landmarks!"

Jack was immensely grateful, his head throbbing from the resurrect and he knew Ianto was covering for him and he settled in the passenger seat to worry about the next problem.

The meeting zone.

"You chewing on the snatch and grab?" Ianto asked after a while, Jack glancing at him with surprise.

"Yeah. Part of me worries they are not there, part of me worries they are" Jack admitted. "Dangerous. London, we both know it's the epicentre of this shit-storm this side of the water … this thing will be going global but… Cyber was from here and the collaboration with the US. We have to basically spit through the eye of a needle to get through this. Maybe if the others stay outside on the perimeter …"

"All or nothing" Ianto cut in, "We can't split up. How long would we wait before deciding they are dead? What if they are late then we are gone? What if only some make it, we will go over and over how we might have prevented the loss. No. We stick together!"

Again Jack was relieved to find Ianto readily voicing what he had been pondering, making those thoughts seem less selfish. Jack added "I don't want to wind up alone."

"I know" Ianto said so softly it was almost a sigh and Jack knew they were OK. Whatever happened, they would watch out for one another and be OK. Jack pointed "Turn left here. The old playground is overgrown, not tech so it was left to ruins but as a little girl she love playing here with a kite or some long ribbons in the wind."

"And your grandson?"

Jack snorted. Clever clogs, this one.

"Stephen. Been here once. To meet me when I couldn't make it to his birthday party. All other meetings have been loud, public and he knows me as Uncle Jack, her estranged brother" Jack shrugged.

"Easier to explain than immortal ex-Time Agent I guess" Ianto muttered more to himself than Jack, "Still … if he has your DNA he will probably work things out quick smart!"

"This new you … the one showing himself today … I like him" Jack blurted and Ianto laughed.

"Ianto Icarus Jones, that's me. High flier and falling with style. Yehaw!"

Yeah.

Jack liked this one a lot.


	12. Alice and Steven

Ianto accepted a sandwich, chewing as he checked the speedometer and saw that they were cruising at 120kms per hour. He knew there would be no other vehicles about the upgrade had clearly disabled all of them so he pushed his foot down more, looking in the side mirror to make sure the others followed suit and soon they were hurtling along at 140.

"Here we go" Jack said and Ianto nodded as he let his foot off and they slowed, then he swung the wheel and they shot off the road and behind some hedgerows, into the old playground. It was overgrown alright, ivy and long grass, the remains of monkey-bars and other things poking though the foliage and he thought about what he was seeing, taking a second to collate then he headed for the concrete elephant that must have an internal room.

Jack nodded, sliding out to approach the structure as Gwen and Owen moved to flank the vehicles, looking back to make sure they were alone. Tosh slid to the edge of the SUV with her PDA raised, also scanning.

"Alice? Love?" Jack called softly.

Alice appeared, the gun at her side was clearly primed as she looked nervously at Jack, then past him. He called softly "It's OK. This is my team and…and…. Ianto."

"Hello" Ianto called cheerfully, raising his hand and wriggling his fingers "Don't mind us. Our guns are pointed out!"

She took a moment to stare at him, then called behind her, Steven now appearing, clinging to her coat as he peered around her, then he saw Jack and lit up "Uncle Jack!"

"Fenny!" Jack sobbed, dropping to his knees with his arms open and Steven ran to him, falling into his arms as Jack picked him up and held him tightly. Ianto could see they were busy so he approached Alice.

"Look, I want to keep moving. We need the safety of darkness in the wetlands. Tech can't move freely there and … you don't know?" he paused as she shook her head "They had Bots. Like Cybermen without the human brains. Robots that are weaponized helping them try to control us. The upgrade is over, the reboot underway, by this time tomorrow the AI world will have us as pets, livestock … pests … whatever they decide. These robots can move quickly, cover great distances. They were supposed to be for military use, still in the testing stages but it seems they were hooked into the network and now it has control with weaponry and such."

"Christ on a stick!" she spluttered "Wetlands. Right. The Fens? I read somewhere that they can't stand the wetlands there, the marsh is too dense for their circuitry."

"Exactly" Ianto nodded "Time left it alone due to this, no wifi, no tech other than the basics that the Network can't connect to anything in the dead zone. As safe as we can be."

"Where did he find you?" she asked softly.

"I stalked him mercilessly and he gave in, then I betrayed him and almost destroyed the world. He forgave me and now I do all I can to protect this stupid rock" he replied and she blinked, then smiled.

"I like you!" she admitted "Like him, full of riddles."

"Good, because we are stuck together for some time. Just remember something most don't know about me but I feel you should know upfront, being his and all" Ianto nodded at Jack "I have a hidden side to me that is vicious. If we get into a bum-fight, get behind me and your Dad, OK? We will not stop until you are safe, whatever the cost to us. You two and my sister and her kids in that SUV over there … I will kill and I will die if I must to keep you safe. Just don't judge my methods."

She nodded and he added "Or his!"

"You talk like him. I don't know what is truth and what is smoke and mirrors" she snorted.

"The wizard behind the curtain must always be evasive if he ever gets to save Oz" Ianto said sagely, then winked as he turned to watch Jack lift Steven into the SUV where Rhiannon was leaning out to let him sit near the two children.

"You know … if this is the end of the world at least we are going out with a hiss and a roar" she said as she walked towards the SUV.

"Better on my feet than on my knees" Ianto agreed "This is the middle vehicle. Jack and I are in front, we will take any hit. The last one will sweep and cover. This middle one is the protected one, you and the kids will be OK here if you would rather sit in here instead of with us. This is my sister Rhiannon. Gwen here is a fellow operative and her partner Rhys here is a truck driver, he is the best driver in the group, you are going to be safe with him behind the wheel."

"Ta mate" Rhys said happily.

"Are you hungry sweetie?" Rhiannon asked Steven, "We have food here, want some fizzy?"

Alice looked at her father gratefully as he helped her in and her hand paused over his a moment before she settled on the seat and he pulled the door closed to turn and stare at Ianto.

"Too easy?" Ianto asked.

"Feels that way" Jack agreed. "Safer to have them in this one than with us I think."

"Right" Ianto stalked towards the SUV, this time the passenger seat as Jack got behind the wheel.

"Let's move out and see what's waiting" Ianto muttered he ruffled through his bag of tricks.

Jack put the SUV in drive and led them back onto the road.


	13. hide

Ianto was scanning as was Jack and when it came it was not as unexpected as their attackers had hoped. Ianto cursed softly as Jack swung the wheel to avoid the incoming missile then he watched Ianto lean out the open door of the SUV to fire back, a slingshot that sent an EMP towards the vehicle hurtling towards them.

It struck the lead vehicle and sparks flew, Ianto sliding out to stand on the running board, hanging on to the suicide strap as he looked back, checking the other two vehicles in their troop got past then he cursed and before Jack could even compute what was happening Ianto calmly stepped off the side of the SUV.

The vehicle …. going full tit away from the danger followed by two more.

He landed, tucked and rolled, coming up to fire the pulse canon he had yanked out with him, hitting the vehicle still coming for them and he cursed as he saw that it was protected from the EMP. Their own EMP pulse. Damn it all to hell.

The pulse cannon charge seemed to disperse over the vehicle and he sighed, looking at the scene the only way he could … slowing it in his mind to take in the entire scene and all in it. He then calmly fired at the tree to the left of the road, wanting it fall gracefully on the vehicle with a resounding crunch.

He turned and ran for the stopped SUV, Jack gaping as he watched Ianto fly into the passenger seat and swing the cannon into his lap then turn to look at him as if to say 'what?'

Jack punched it, quickly passing the two SUVs still retreating and they regained the lead, Jack glancing over to watch as Ianto calmly slapped a fresh load into the canon and hung out to check once more before settling with shaking hands.

"Well. That was…." Ianto huffed.

"Insane" Jack answered softly.

"That's me" Ianto snorted "Icarus all the way! Turn left!"

Jack did without questioning, leaving the road to careen over the little dirt track and he saw something ahead that made him smile. "Yes, you do fly by the seat of your pants Mister Jones."

"UP there, behind the copse of trees" Ianto pointed as Jack led them all to a small clearing, the tyres racking up the dirt. Ianto jumped out as he yelled to everyone "The falls, head for the falls!"

"The what?"

"Follow me!" Rhiannon yelled as she recognised where they were, lifting Mica to her hip as Johnny picked up their son. A noise had Jack glancing up and cursing as a drone appeared in the distance.

"Fuck!" Ianto huffed "Run … go. I will follow! The thermal blankets, where are they packed?"

"Janet!" Owen wailed even as he followed the others, Jack lifting Steven over his shoulder like a sack of spuds. Gwen hesitated to help and Ianto shook his hed as he grabbed the blankets from her, "Run sweetie."

She glanced back to see him shaking the blankets over the hoods of the SUVs, "what's he doing"

"In here!" Jack ignored her as he ran into the flowing water, the cave behind it ample space for everyone who stood there wet and shocked.

"They can't find us" Tosh assured the children who looked terrified "The water. Is distorts their infrared displays. They can't see us behind it."

"What about Uncle?"

Jack was watching as Ianto clambered onto the trailer to slap the vents closed, making the old refrigeration unit sealed, any heat now trapped and then he looked back over his shoulder and seized the final remaining blanket, rolling under the SUV as the drones came into range, rolling into the blanket where he went still.

"He's hiding too" Jack said softly "Hush now, they might be listening to make up for the blindness."

They seemed to sweep a hundred times when Jack knew it was the ten they always did, his eyes unable to look away from the small silver streak barely visible under their SUV. After the drones had passed by Ianto rolled out, looking up after them then he rose to his feet, clambering up to pop the vents for Janet then he went into an SUV and reappeared with a cooler, walking towards the waterfall.

He entered though the water and flicked the cooler into the space.

"They might do another sweep to be sure on the way back through, I know I would" he said as he settled on the floor like this was an everyday conversation "I'm hungry."

"Me too" Mica agreed opening the cooer and pulling out sandwiches. "Tomato and cucumber Uncle?"

"They don't like water" Steven said to David who seemed afraid still "We are invisible to them here. We are safe. We wait a while then continue on."

Ianto leaned back against the cave wall as Owen reached for one of his hands, turning it over with interest. He let his hand slide over the smooth skin, then pulled the other had over to find it the same. He had thought he was examining the wrong one, but now could not tell which one had been burnt.

He quietly stared at them, then let them go without question.

He knew sooner or later Ianto would tell him how that happened too.

.

.

.

EMP - electromagnetic pulse: a burst of electromagnetic energy produced by a nuclear explosion in the atmosphere, considered capable of widespread damage to power lines, telecommunications, and electronic equipment. A solar flare can have same effect. In this Verse I reasoned a smaller bomb might be produced for localized results.


	14. ideas?

14

"So … covering the hoods with the emergency blankets hid the engine heat?" Johnny was trying to understand "and … the waterfall hid ours in the natural rock. What about you?"

"I rolled in a blanket as well" Ianto was trying to be patient but…really now … had this not been covered already? "Look, they will work out sooner or later that we are hiding our heat signatures, and then they will switch to another mode. By then I hope to be deep in the marshlands where they cannot fly. The only no-fly zone for those things is the Fells. Satellites only when the mist isn't covering everything"

"You two came here as kids, right? Played here, camped here at these falls with your parents" Johnny said after a while "Rhia told me about your crazy tent making skills that pissed your Da off no end."

"Most things about me did" Ianto snorted. "The cuckoo."

"So we are safe there" Alice asked, joining the conversation and cutting off Ianto's weird comment "They can't get in."

"For now" Ianto replied gently "In time they will devise ways to try, maybe even get to long distance before shorting out. We have to go deep so they can't' find us. Be diligent and stay alert. Treat each sound or new thing as a trap. Only way to get through this."

"And for now?" Owen asked.

"We move while there is still light to do so" Jack replied and Owen frowned as he considerd.

"So the next problem … this has slowed us down. We will have to move in the dark right?" Owen said, loking over at Ianto who seemed unconserned.

"Ianto?" Jack pronpted, "Tell them how we will drive the Fells without headlights to be seen from space."

Ianto shrugged and Jack laughed then said "Ianto made an aquiistion about a year ago that I found amusing. We even used them around the hub at night for …ah… experiemtnation."

"We dabbled" Ianto agreed softly then snorted and loked up at the sky like he ws trying to pull himself together. He then loked at Owen and said "I have five pair of night vision goggles, military grade."

"You are fucking kidding!" Owen gaped.

"Nope" Ianto popped the P.

"He ordered one per team member in case of a power outage or end if the world or something" Jack sniggered "I knew you had them with."

"Of course I have thme with. You seriously thought I didn't keep them in the Go Vehicle?" Ianto loked at Jack like he was mad and Jack laughed, pulling Ianto close and kissing his cheek before turning to run out of the waterfall into the sunlight.

"Uncle?" David said softly "Did he just kiss you?"

"Yes. He kisses me sometimes" Ianto replied calmly "He even snuggles in and we sleep tpgehter in the same bed. Like …. Together."

"Boyfriends?"

Ianto seemd to struggle with his answr then he finally said as he turned to leave the cave "Friends."

Owen watched the water close once more and sighed "Come on. Time to get wet again, then we can all change into the cool clothing in the back, you kids will proabalby fit the spare stuff for me and Tosh, Stevie you will fit Iantos' I think."

"Is it OK to use?" Rhiannon asked.

"Each SUV has a full set of clothing for all five members so … yeah. We are all OK." Owen shook his head as he walked towards the SUV, finding Ianto already placing clothing on the now uncovered hoods. Is there nothing he had forgotten?

"Come on, we are burning daylight" Jack barked, storming for his SUV like he was angry and Owen wondered if the two men had spoken about the kiss. Ianto looked unconcerned with the mood swing, ushering the kids into the middle SUV, Johnny lifting Mica into his lap then belting her in with a blanket.

As Ianto walked to the lead vehicle Tosh turned to Owen in the last SUV "What do you think it is?"

"I think Ianto has a plan that Jack doesn't like. Whatever it is … Jack has no control now. Ianto is in chrge from here on out" Tosh said as she thought about things "Jack likes to know the score. He hates surprises as much as he likes giving them."

"No. Its something else" Owen muttered as he went back over what he had seen as he left the waterfall to follow the two men.

Jack had been holding Iantos' hand. The damaged one and by the way Ianto was yanking on it there was something being said about the injury.

But why would Jack be angry about something that had been necessary to get the kids safe.

And why was Ianto shrugging it off?


	15. fog and lights

Time moved as did they, eating up road and creating space between themselves and those searching. It was close to midnight when Ianto finally slowed the SUV and Jack sat up rubbing his face. "If I had known where we were going, I could have given you a rest."

"But you didn't" Ianto replied sagely as he pulled to a stop. The road ahead seemed to be swallowed by the thick fog around them and it was eerie as there was no sound.

Ianto stepped from the SUV as the other two pulled up behind, Jack on the running board as he glanced back and signalled with his hand for them to remain inside for a moment.

"What's the password" a voice yelled from a distance and Jack looked over the roof of the SUV at the man who seemed to consider.

"Go fuck yourself Connor?"

Laughter, then lights flickering on that showed lamps were being lit and soon people were approaching on foot, Ianto seeming relaxed as he strode to meet them. Jack followed stealthily beyond the light where he could see and hear without being in the way.

"Ianto Icarus Jones" a woman's voice seemed to scold "What in the blue blazes are ye doing?"

"Have you not heard?"

"Nah, power's out again" a male voice cut in "Third time this month we've glitched out. Probably the dam again."

"No" Ianto sighed as he saw that they truly did not know "It's happened."

"What has" another voice called out "You finally realised you can't live without us then Icarus?"

"Yes" Ianto said loudly "I can't. The Happening. It has begun. She is Self Aware and eating up the world with her rage."

Silence for a while then came a soft "Well fuck"

"I come with my family and small circle of friends. Those I trust, and who trust me. I helped you, I provided. Time for me to join the fold and for us to live the life we prepared for" Ianto seemed to stand taller and Jack turned to see Owen slipping along with his goggles flaring in the light.

"And what is that smell?" the woman demanded, her dark hair moving on her shoulders like an animal and after a moment Jack realised it was. A black fox. Black as night draped across her shoulders like it was no big deal.

"Freshly baked chocolate cookies and black coffee still percolating?" Ianto asked.

"Yes." She sighed "Its divine!"

Ianto turned and pointed to his left "Him. My … my mate."

Silence again, and then the woman motioned to Jack "Then come into the light you poor thing. Must be so damn tiring trying to keep up with this one, all his swooping and diving. Maddening."

Jack pulled his goggles off and stepped into the light, letting them see him in his Great Coat as he walked more confidently than he felt to stand beside Ianto, his coat flicking around his heels like a dog. The fox seemed to follow the movement with its eyes.

"My Gods. You do pick the pretty ones Icky." A small skinny man snorted.

"Call me that again and I shall cleave your skull" Ianto said with the same calm, Owen placing a hand over his mouth as Ianto seemed to smirk.

"I am Kelianne. The one he loved first" the woman said defiantly, the fox now raising its head to stare at Jack.

"Before that Lisa bitch stole him away from you!" laugher started.

"I am Captain Jack Harkness" Jack replied with a sneer of his own "The one who stole him from Lisa!"

"Well now … of course you are. Who else would you be!" someone laughed loudly and Jack blinked as he looked nervous, glancing over at Ianto who shrugged. Laughter as the woman blinked at him, Ianto blushing softly as he swung to chastise Jack but it was clear in his eyes that Jack had said the right thing. He was … pleased.

"Who else is with you?"

"Rhia, the kids, her prick, Owen there in the goggles and his … woman Tosh. Gwen and Rhys are my friends as well as team members." Ianto said and the woman seemed to consider things then snorted.

"There are two more I smell cousin. What of the woman and child?"

"Alice is Jack's daughter, Steven his grandson"

Jack blinked with surprise as Owen gaped. Then she nodded "Well then, bring them to the tents. We will leave at dawn for the village"

"We are not there yet?" Owen couldn't help but whine.

"No. Where we go, they cannot follow" Kelianne said gently to the little toad-like man Ianto seemed to look at with a paternal glance.

"We load the SUVs here" Ianto said as he swung to address Rhys who was further back, his goggles in his hand "There is a ramp over here, we drive onto the barges and then they take us across to the Island."

"The Island" Owen repeated with a nod then he screwed his face up "What island?"

"In the middle of this huge lake there is an island. Tech cannot cross water. Short of a drone, nothing can reach up there and for a drone to go up, tech has to be here at the water's edge of the drone will fly out of range before it reaches us anyway." Kelianne explained "And for Tech to be here, they would have expended so much and cannot get back out anyway. To be sure, we did place booby traps."

"Even though they can't get here" Owen snorted.

"Yet" Ianto said softly, but it was heard by all who nodded sagely.

Never say never.


	16. the distant shore

"A fan boat!" Owen gasped as he looked up at the huge fan on the back of the barge and Ianto slapped his shoulder.

"Step aside bud, the SUVs are coming on" Ianto advised and they watched the vehicles get moved on then came the part Ianto knew Owen would love, the starting of the huge fan.

Ianto knew it was time to tell a story, to get it out before they hit shore and he settled to face those sitting on bench seats. "In 1959 the Doctor visited a place. He …. The seventh Doctor's face I think it was … he found a species called the Chimeron … the last of them in fact. A woman called Delta. Of course with his usual flair he helped save her, using her unique singing voice to destroy the Bannermen who were trying to destroy her so they might wipe out the entire species. The Doctor does not approve of that sort of thing."

Nods and Jack frowned as he stared hard.

"In 1967 I visited the Shangri-La Hotel, the same place" Jack started to talk "I found traces of the Doctor there, I also found traces of the Chimeron. I spent time there until I finished off the assignment and then hoped one day I might come back."

"Come" Owen said with interest "not go?"

"Owen … welcome to Shangri-La's first camp" Ianto said as he waved an arm behind him at the island barely visible in the mist "Battleground of the Bannerman attack and home of the Chimeron hybrids."

"Hybrids?" Owen leaned forward.

"Mated with humans" Ianto explained "The Chimeron people were traditionally green skinned but over the years it diluted. The grandchildren are pale skinned. Hard to tell they are not completely human. My … my mother is the same mother as Rhiannon but we have different fathers. Da came here to work as a caretaker with Mama and baby Rhiannon. Mama was pregnant with me when they left and although he could not prove it, Da always said I was not his. Due to the Doctor's involvement and continued Torchwood involvement they set up a permanent outpost. First time I came here on Torchwood business and I knew. I knew. I came here when I could, found my people, found my roots. I am of this place."

"What you two were arguing about at the waterfall. Jack knew but not all of it, you were telling him right? Wow … wow. So … it's really here?" Owen looked past Ianto as lights were not starting to pierce the mist like stars that had fallen into the water.

"Yes, in through that rock face. That path leads to another land" Rhiannon sighed as she glanced at Ianto then added "Ianto's first off, OK?"

Everyone nodded, now interested in what was to come.

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So, I know you will ask about this. : _Delta and the Bannermen_ was a Doctor Who episode that was in fact a three episode mini. The same place was used years later in the book Trace Memory where Jack and an operative stayed there

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The **Chimeron** (pronounced shimmer-on) were a race of insect-behavioured humanoids native to Chumeria, commonly known as "the garden planet of the universe". The script of _Delta_ describes them as "soft [and] puma-like"

Their young are fed on a jelly substance that if taken by a human will turn them into one as well. In the TV episode a young boy called Billy ate some so the queen and Delta would have a male to mate with and further the species as they were the last of their kind. In the episode they left … in this Verse I surmised that maybe they didn't. Ianto is offspring to their child ... hence he is a hybrid.

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Majestic Holiday Camp on Barry Island, South Glamorgan, Wales served as the filming location for Shangri-La. The camp no longer exists, but Barry Island was the filming location for parts of the 2005 episodes _The Empty Child_ and _The Doctor Dances_.

I am making up it's location and placing it in the Fells instead, I liked the idea of the marshland.

Also … Shangri-La is also the island where King Arthur was supposedly taken after his fall and it is in the lake where the lady with the sword waits. I liked the idea of a magical place... Ianto sleek and powerful.


	17. sing it out

Ianto stepped off the barge as the sun was almost gone, the place seemed to be holding it's breath like it was waiting for something and Jack was interested to see Kelianne step in behind him with her hands clasped together like she was waiting too.

Ianto looked down at the ground beyond the ramp and sighed, then let his head rise, his mouth opening for the first eerie note to ring form deep in his chest.

Ianto sang.

Several things happened in the first moments of everyone realising that they had entered somewhere totally different to what they had thought it would be. The place seemed to shudder and lights blazed, voices answered with the same musical note and then Ianto started to taper off only to surge again like the wind.

Finally he stepped onto the dirt and it all fell away, the mist gone as they looked around with shock. They were … somewhere. Ianto turned to face them, his face youthful and shining "Welcome to my home. This is Shangri-La"

"Icarus!" a voice called and he turned to watch the woman approach, her long dark hair flying behind her like a cape and her skin almost glowing as she came close enough for everyone to see her skin was a pale green, so pale it was like lime water.

"Hello Nainny" Ianto said calmly, bowing as Jack blinked and then snorted.

"Hello Majesty" Jack said as he bowed as well and she slowly turned to face him, her surprise evident.

"Well, Captain Harkness. Long time no see, but you look as youthful and blatantly naughty as last time we crossed paths." Her humour showed now as she canted her head, then looked at Ianto with her eyes widening. "No. No, Icarus … this is the one who has kept you from our isle?"

"Nainny, you know what has kept me" Ianto sighed then he looked at his cousin who seemed to be plucking at his sleeve. "What? Oh yes. Right. It has happened, the War has begun."

"AI self-awareness"

"Yes" Ianto sighed, then lit up as he saw another approaching "Hey Uncle Billy!"

"Hello little sparrow" the man smiled, "Did I just hear you say that the AI War has started? Damn."

"Yeah!" Ianto rubbed his face "And the Doctor is nowhere to be found as per usual."

"Well, he wouldn't be the Doctor if he wasn't elusive" Billy harrumphed as he looked over at Jack "Captain?"

"Lord William" Jack grimaced.

"Ah. Rhiannon" he stepped to the side and acknowledged her "Las time you were here you were so young. Pregnant with the young man here, you never came back once the children came."

"Too hard to explain to them where their Uncle comes from" she replied with a shrug "the blood but not blood thing."

"Nainny, we are all tired and cold. Can we do this tomorrow?" Ianto suddenly blurted, unusually rude and she saw the fatigue. They were ushered to what looked like some sort of holiday park like something off some old TV show, bright yellow buildings and flags flapping in the breeze. Lights … everywhere.

"How come we can't see this from land?" Owen asked.

"Because we are behind the veil" Kelianne explained "This is the home of make believe. Ianto used to pretend he was Peter Pan but …well … he really liked the idea of finding Peter Pan. Someone to love forever even if he was never going to grow up."

Jack felt the laughter bubbling as he looked at his feet and Ianto grinned "Yes. I used to pretend I was hunting for my soul mate, a Peter Pan who would match me! Strange that … last time I saw the Doctor she told me that the light I saw as a young child was not the sun trying to burn my wings but the heart of my beloved."

"That man is insane!" Kelianne scoffed "Even more so when her. Those braces and those weird pants!"

"I liked 10 the best" Ianto quipped "Nine was so … well big eared. I know Seven is the one we are supposed to be grateful to but …really … ten for me. SO cute in that suit."

"Why you wear them" she poked at him as he laughed.

Finally Jack saw and laughed as well.

Even if only he and Ianto knew the true joke.

Peter Pan was in Never Never Land and Ianto was the one he had wished for as well.

His own personal enigma in a suit.


	18. are we there yet?

"We are all exhausted and need time to decompress" Ianto explained as he led everyone towards some cabins "Tonight we will get some sleep in the tents and come to terms with this shit-storm, tomorrow we head to the village."

"Wait, this isn't it?" Owen asked.

"No, this is the outpost." Ianto laughed "Look, there are beds food and warmth in these cabins. Go, settle and think. Tomorrow after breakfast we will head out, OK?"

"Never mind tents, the western cabins are free Cousin" Kelianne pointed out, "Take them. You are bone weary and should sleep in a bed, not on the dirt."

"My dirt" Ianto smirked "Fair enough. Come on, we all need some sleep."

Gwen glanced at Jack "Are you OK with him calling the shots like this?"

Jack looked at her with surprise then laughed softly "Gwen … in case you didn't know ... he always called the shots. Each step in our relationship was on his terms, from the moment he decided to stalk me to our first kiss. Ianto has always sung the song that my heart sings to."

Gwen blinked as Jack sounded nothing like the man she knew and she frowned "Are you OK? I mean … you sound like he has a spell on you or something."

Jack looked at her strangely then started to laugh "You really have no idea do you! Gwen … magic is everywhere here. You do realise this is where Merlin and King Arthur walked, right?"

"What?"

"The lady in the lake" Jack sighed "The one who caught the sword when Arthur gave it up. Remember?"

"Yes"

"Gwen … we just crossed that lake to its epicentre. Here. Where they say Arthur was taken …. Gwen. In olden times when you died you were said to cross the veil. Like a mist or fog, that is like a curtain. Think of the wedding veil. A veil. Mist. What did we just go through to get to the other side?" Jack could see she was struggling to understand so he took her hands and looked into her eyes "Some called it Valhalla. Eden. Here. Shangri-La. The place beyond life and death. Ianto comes from here, his blood is from this place. Magic. Get it? Do not ever make a joke or off the cuff comment about witches, druids, spells … you are in a place where that shit is real."

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded as he came back to see where they were, rolling his eyes at Rhys "Is he doing the King Arthur though the Veil thing? It's all theatrics. The mist if always there due to barometric pressure, the density of the water compared to the atmosphere above. It's not magical … there are no dragons dwelling in the mountain and no unicorn waiting to spear his arse!"

Rhys started to laugh as he opened the door to their cabin and ushered Gwen inside, turning back to hiss "That was fucking close."

Ianto winked and turned to walk away, Jack gaping then running after him "Yan? Rhys? Really?"

"You think they would let me live in the Real World without backup? Of course Rhys. A good man." Ianto sniffed then snorted.

"My Gods, you are like him!" Jack sighed "Smoke and mirrors up the wazoo!"

"Really?" Ianto smiled softly as he leaned against the last cabin "I was hoping for something else up there tonight to help me sleep."

"Oh Tiger" Jack sighed "You are so dangerous."

"you have no idea" Ianto quipped as he stepped inside and Jack stood on the stoop for a moment before stepping up to the doorframe and looking inside were Ianto was already peeling off his clothing.

"Step into my parlour said the spider to the fly" Jack muttered as he stepped in and pushed the door closed.

"I prefer… 'Let the wild rumpus start' from Where the Wild Things Are" Ianto said in a low tone as he tucked his chin into his chest and looked at Jack in a feral way.

"I don't know if I am hungrier for the food on the table or you" Jack sighed.

"Both?" Ianto suggested, "We can eat as foreplay if you are lucky."

"With you Ianto, I always get lucky" Jack sneered with fake bravado and Ianto laughed.

"Only because quips like that tickle me" Ianto stepped into his arms and kissed him gently "Now. Make me sing."

Jack closed their lips together again, revelling in the strong man he held with such a solidness to him that Jack had never felt more vulnerable yet … real.

"Oh Cariad" Ianto sighed as he let his head slide to Jack's shoulder "you make me want to live forever once more."

Here in a place that did not exist in a land of mist and fog … Javic Thane remembered. He remembered whose grip was on his very heart.

Magic in the words.

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So ends part 1. Part 2 will pick up the next morning.

Thanks for reading my loves xxxx


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